The closest prior art to the present invention is probably Ser. No. 08/103,122 entitled "Equipment and Process for Waste Pyrolysis and Off-Gas Oxidative Treatment" but differs significantly in that process and equipment is designed to treat ultra hazardous chemicals by dissolution of the chemicals and of the chemical container well beneath the surface of a molten alloy both with a specially designed dunker or distribution unit to give maximum contact with a molten alloy of the ultra hazardous chemicals and products formed with the molten alloy. A similar alloy composition to Ser. No. 08/103,122 which is incorporated herein by reference may used. This composition is:
______________________________________ 50-100 percent aluminum 0-20 percent calcium 0-50 percent zinc 0-50 percent iron 0-50 percent copper ______________________________________
Components of the alloy may be of low purity. Scrap aluminum should be quite satisfactory.
Large volumes of ultra hazardous chemicals such as nerve gas exist and equipment in this process is specifically designed to allow safe, complete destruction to harmless, environmentally innocous products.
In this process the alloy may be heated and held molten by electrical induction heating or by fossil fuel. The alloy is held at approximately 750.degree. to 900.degree. C. by continuous heating.
Above 800.degree. C. essentially all organic materials, including organic pathogens, are broken down into carbon and gaseous products. Negative ions such as chlorine, bromine, etc., in the organic compounds will react with the alloy and be held as non volatile salts. The carbon, and hydrogen and, other oxidizable products, if present after pyrolysis are oxidized in the oxidation chamber. Glass will melt and metal will dissolve or remain in the molten bath. Water in the form of steam will pass into the aqueous scrubber. Normally negative ions such as chlorine will be held by calcium in the alloy; however salts that sublime would also be removed in aqueous scrubber.
Periodically, the molten bath must be replaced in order to reclaim the metals. The molten bath may be allowed to drain out of the reactor or pumped into collection vessels for later use in the metal industry. Molten glass may skimmed off the surface of the molten alloy. Air is essentially excluded from the pyrolysis unit and the small amount of air in the waste as charged reacts to oxidize carbon to carbon monoxide or dioxide.